Freelance Writing, Editing Service

Looking for a freelance editing service that's reliable and trustworthy? With the globalization of the Internet there are numerous editing services located in countries where English is not the first language. English is one of the most difficult language to learn and finding an educated, professional editor can be a real challenge. Here are some tips to ensure the money you pay for a freelance editor is well-spent.

The main purpose of copy editing is to ensure text is ready  for publishing.  Too many people become reliant on their word processor’s  spelling and grammar check  feature and use only this as a means of conducting a final check.  For an educated copy editor, there are other factors that are crucial to ensure that text reads well.

Consistency throughout a document is essential to credibility. There may be no spelling mistakes and the grammar check looks great, but information or details that are not consistent where they should be will make that document look unprofessional.

Print or online publications, as well as website owners that care about quality ensure that all their content has been thoroughly edited.

Copy editors check that factual information is presented professionally and any incorrect fact, they will correct. Other items that copy editors look for include:

• Concise and eloquent text.
• Grammatical errors.
• Confusing information.
• Inconsistent internal facts.
• "COPS" – Capitalization, omissions, punctuality and spelling.
  

Copy editors are the gateway to the final product. Hiring a copy editor is truly an investment in your business.

There is a very important reason to take time when proofreading your work – your reputation. No matter what profession you are in, you will be judged and possibly condemned if the work you produce is riddled with errors.

A proofreader, whether it be yourself, a colleague or sourced out, is an important element in producing the final product. There is a well-known fact that states it is much easier to notice writing errors in work other than your own. This is why proofreading services are popular even for students wanting to ensure their essays are well-written.

When proofreading, take nothing for granted because unconscious mistakes are easy to make. Most errors in written work are made unconsciously. Research indicates there are two sources of unconscious errors:

• Inaccurate information from your kinesthetic memory. If you have always misspelled a word, you will unconsciously misspell it again.
• A split-second of inattention.
  

Proofreading Tips:

• Always doubt what you are reading to help catch the errors.
• Read slowly, and word-for-word what is on the paper (or monitor); and be sure to read it out loud. Catching errors is much easier when you read your work out loud.  Silent reading does not promote positive results.
• Proofread more than once. There are professional proofreaders who ritually read work five times and even on the fifth time, may still catch an error.
• Never trust word processing spelling and grammar checks 100%! This is essential. Spelling and grammar may come clean buy simple typos will not get caught! This is a great tool but by no means can it do the job of a real person! 
• Last but not least, print out what you want to have proofed. More often than not, getting away from the monitor and reading your work on paper, in another room is an amazing tool that helps to effectively proofread!

Editing written work is crucial for any individual or business wanting to look professional. Whether you’re writing a cover letter for your resume, posting content on your web site, or submitting a manuscript to a publisher, you don’t get a second chance to make that first impression. You may have well-crafted content but all your hard work can come to a crashing halt when professional editing services have not been hired.

How can you convince visitors to your web site that you have credibility when content has not been thoroughly checked? Even good writers have a professional editor look over their work when they want to make a solid impression on their target audience. It’s not all about spelling and grammar. A content editor or website editor will check for inconsistent statements, poorly written sentences, ambiguities and weak words. Professional editors also check for consistent formatting.

Word processing software is often used to check for spelling and grammar, but it is a good rule to never place 100% trust in these programs. A word can be typed that is a legitimate word but has no place in the sentence, and spell checkers won’t pick that up.

Professional editing is hard to find. A qualified editor is a person who not only has the education behind them, but has worked as an editor. Ask questions and be sure the person you hire actually has the background to provide professional editing services. Remember, your writing speaks to your level of professionalism and it ultimately can make or break your desired goal.